Jenna Bush Hager goes through astronaut training at NASA's JSC

HOUSTON – Most of us know Jenna Bush Hager as the former first daughter. She's taken on many roles since then, most notably as a correspondent for NBC's "Today" Show.

She was in Houston recently, taking on a different kind of role for a story -- the role of astronaut.

Bush Hager grew up in Texas but had never been to NASA.

"I can't believe I've never visited here before. I always wanted to. It was a bucket list thing today," Bush Hager said.

Astronaut Tracy Dyson helped her kick off her NASA space adventure by giving her a tour of the Johnson Space Center that included a stop inside a mock space station where she tried on a pair of astronaut gloves that were used in a real space walk. The entire suit weighs over 300 pounds.

PHOTOS: Jenna Bush Hager at JSC

She capped off her visit to NASA by performing her very own simulated space-walk, using a system that is similar to an overheard bridge crane. She experienced first-hand what zero gravity is like for astronauts.

"It's really cool! I will say it's like nothing I've ever done before. Flying through space. I think all little kids dream of being an astronaut so to practice it was pretty cool," Bush Hager said.

She also got her hands one of the tools of the astronaut trade, a cordless power drill. She quickly discovered handy work in space is a lot more fun than it is on earth.

What on earth is NBC News Today Show Jenna Bush Hager doing here? Watch KPRC2 / Click2Houston News this morning at 6am to find out more about her visit to NASA's Johnson Space Center ! #kprc2

Posted by KPRC2 Andy Cerota on Tuesday, July 11, 2017

"You use your hands more than your feet in space. I didn't quite understand what that meant until I started practicing being an astronaut," Bush Hager said.

She said she found the whole experience fascinating and it's taught her that when it comes to space exploration, the possibilities are endless.

"One of the coolest things I heard was that the astronaut we talked to today said this was such a dream and to watch it become a reality has been this incredible part of life. I think whatever you want to do, always dream big!" Bush Hager said.

Download the Click2Houston news app in your app store to stay up-to-date with the latest news while you're on the go.

Sign up for KPRC 2 newsletters to get breaking news, sports, entertainment, contests and more delivered straight to your email inbox.


About the Author:

Award-winning journalist, adventure seeker, explorer, dog lover.